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In Sorrow and In Joy - Part 3.

After her chat with Philippe, Clarisse returned to her suite and had her makeup done before taking a few moments to herself, when standing by the french doors in her bedroom, looking out over the gardens, a knock came to her suite door. "Come in," she called out as she walked through into the suite and watched as the door opened and Joseph appeared. "Hello," she smiled while coming to a stop and folded her hands together in front of her stomach.

"Well hello," he smiled while closing the door behind himself and walked over to her, "don't you look ravishing," he said averting his gaze down to her dress, taking in some of the details, like the shirring waist and the surplice v-neckline, before looking up into her eyes.

"Thank you," she smiled as he took hold of her hands and raised them up to his mouth, kissing the back of them both. "You don't look bad yourself," she said as he laughed.

"Thanks," he smiled and stepped closer to whisper in her ear, "I know that all eyes are meant to be on the bride today, but just so you know, I'm not going to be able to take my eyes off you," he said and quickly kissed her neck, making her laugh as he pulled back to look at her.

"Well try and be discreet about it," she smiled as she averted her eyes down to his tie and noticed it wasn't quite right, "do you want me to sort your tie for you?"

"Oh yes," he said while glancing down at his tie as she stepped closer to him, "I forgot I needed that done, and yes I will be discreet, don't you worry," he smiled as she looked back up at him and their eyes met.

"Good," she said and looked back down at his tie while putting her hands up to adjust it for him. "Remind me again while I'm doing this, what are the plans on getting to the church? Who is going with who?"

"Well," he began and watched as she briefly averted her gaze up to him before looking back down at his tie, "Pierre and Rupert will go on first, then ten minutes after Philippe, your father and yourself will follow, and both limousines will have police escorts from the main entrance gates."

"Okay," Clarisse said as she finished sorting the tie and patted his chest, "all done."

"Thank you," he smiled while looking down at his tie.

"You're welcome," Clarisse smiled as she watched him a moment before asking. "And what about you? How are you getting to the church?"

"I will be following behind your limousine with Andre," Joseph replied as a knock came to the door.

"Ok," she nodded and looked towards the door, "come in," she called.

"It's just me," Philippe said as he opened the door and stepped inside, "hello Joseph, is everything alright?" He asked, surprised to see Joseph stood in his mother's suite.

"Oh yes everything's great, your highness," Joseph smiled and turned his head to look at Clarisse before looking back to the young Prince. "I was just letting your mother know who was leaving when."

"Ahh I see," Philippe smiled.

"Well I best get downstairs, get ready to leave. I'll see you both at the church," Joseph said as he walked over to the door.

"You will," Philippe said as Joseph stopped at the door and turned to bow his head to them both standing side by side before walking out.

"Are you okay?" Clarisse asked as she turned to her son and clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Yes," he nodded, "I just came to see if you were ready to go down."

"Oh, yes, I think so," Clarisse said as she looked across her suite at her bedroom door and thought a moment when Joseph reappeared in the doorway.

"Sorry, but there's been a change of plan. Sasha has just informed me that Prince Pierre has requested if you would travel to the church with your father, your highness?" Joseph said as Clarisse and Philippe both looked over at him.

"How come?" Philippe asked.

"He's not quite ready, your highness," Joseph answered.

"Typical," Philippe nodded, "but yes, okay, I'll be right down."

"Of course, your highness," Joseph said and looked to Clarisse before leaving them alone once again.

"Well this isn't how I expected thing's to go today, but I suppose I better get downstairs," Philippe said as he turned to his mother. "How do I look?" He asked.

"Oh, very handsome," Clarisse smiled. "Helen is definitely a lucky woman to have you as her husband."

"Thanks, mother," Philippe smiled as he stepped closer and kissed her cheek before walking over to the door. "Are you coming down?"

"In a minute, I'm just going to the bathroom first," Clarisse said. "I'm not sure when I'll get a chance again."

"Alright," Philippe smiled over at her, "I'll see you at the church shortly then."

"Yes, I'll see you shortly," Clarisse smiled and watched him leave before taking a long breath and walking back through into her bedroom. Moments later she made her way downstairs to find Pierre, who was stood fiddling with his buttonhole flower, and her father waiting in the foyer for her. "Did Rupert and Philippe leave okay?"

"Yes, a few moments ago," her father nodded as he stood up from the seat he had been sitting in by the main doors and turned to her as she stepped from the last step.

"Oh good," she said while walking over to him and Pierre, "what was with the change around?" She asked while looking at her son.

"I wasn't ready, and because I didn't want to make us all late and knowing Philippe was ready to go I requested he went with father instead," Pierre replied.

"Hmm," Clarisse nodded and looked at her father, who shrugged slightly. They both knew what Pierre had told them wasn't the truth, but didn't press it further as not to ruin the day.

"Your majesty, your highness," Hugo said as he came through the main door and watched as they all looked at him. "The car is ready when you are."

"Thank you, Hugo," Clarisse smiled and looked at her son then at her father, "are you ready?"

"I am," Philippe smiled, "let's go."

Once the wedding ceremony and photographs at the church were over later that day, the wedding party and all the bride and grooms guests returned to the palace, where they all sat down to a five course meal, and once all the speeches were given the evening reception began.

"Finally I get ten minutes to come and sit with you," Clarisse said as she stood next to the table where her father, sisters and their family's were sitting, "is everyone alright?"

"We are, but are you bunny?" Philippe asked as Clarisse placed her glass of champagne down on the table and sat down between her father and sister, Elaina. "It's been a busy day."

"It has," Clarisse nodded as she uncharacteristically crossed her legs and put her hand down to rub the back of her ankle, "and it doesn't help that these shoes are killing me."

"Why don't you change them and put on a pair of flats?" Elaina suggested and took a sip of her wine.

"That would be heaven, but unfortunately not something I can do," Clarisse said as she turned her head to look at her sister sitting beside her.

"Go shoeless then," Addie suggested and picked up her orange juice as everyone looked at her. "That's what I would do."

"Now that is a strong possibility, but not until later tonight," Clarisse replied as she uncrossed her legs and tucked one foot behind her ankle. "For now I will have to put up with these heels."

"Anyway, it's been a lovely day," Philippe said as Clarisse smiled at him, "Philippe looked so handsome stood at that altar."

"And Helen looked gorgeous," Addie smiled as they all looked at her.

"She did, and so did Philippe of course," Clarisse smiled as she picked up her drink and took a sip, or two, of it while averting her gaze across the room to Joseph stood talking with Sabrina and Harry and caught him looking at her. Smiling, she lowered her glass and placed it back down on the table.

Putting her arm along the back of the chair Clarisse was sitting in, Elaina smiled and leant closer to her. "You'll be a grandma soon."

"Shh you, not for a couple year's yet I hope," Clarisse laughed as she turned her head to look back at her sister. "But, oh don't get me wrong. I can't wait to have a grandchild, but I want them to enjoy being married, and enjoy each other, for a couple year's first before having children."

"Unlike you, you mean? Who had Pierre nine months after you and Rupert married," Elaina smirked.

"Yes, exactly," Clarisse smiled and leant closer to nudge her sister's shoulder with hers before turning and leaning back against her.

"For the record," Elaina began as she removed her arm from the back of the chair and wrapped it around the front of Clarisse's shoulders as their father sat watching them, "I think you would make a wonderful grandma."

"Thank you," Clarisse smiled as she put her hands up onto her sister's arm.

"Are they going to live here at the palace," Addie asked as she watched her sister's a moment.

"No, well not in the palace as such, but over in Cherry Tree Cottage," Clarisse said as she sat back up properly. "They are staying there tonight and tomorrow night, and then will officially move in once they return from honeymoon."

"Oh that's nice, a bit of privacy for the newlyweds," Addie smiled and looked up at Rupert and Philippe as they approached the table.

"Yes, definitely. Something Rupert and I didn't have when me married," Clarisse said as she looked at her sister, watching as she looked up, before turning her head to the side to see her husband and son. "Hello," she smiled.

"We just came to see if you're okay for us to start the first dances now," Philippe asked as he crouched down beside his mother's chair and watched as she picked up her glass before turning her head to look down at him.

"Yes, of course," Clarisse nodded and took another sip of her champagne before putting her glass back down on the table. "Where do you need me to be?" She asked while looking back down at him.

"Okay, me and Helen will dance to the first song, then while we are dancing you and father can move to stand to the side of the dance floor then come join us on the floor with Larry and Grace for the second song. Is that okay?" He asked and watched as she looked up at Rupert standing behind him.

"Is that okay with you?" She asked and watched as Rupert nodded before she looked back down at her son. "Then yes, it's okay with me too," she smiled.

"Thanks mother," he smiled while slowly raising himself back up, "I'll see you in a few minutes," he said and kissed her cheek before walking away.

"What was that all about?" Elaina asked as she turned her head to look at her sister before glancing up at Rupert still hovering close by.

"Oh, just that it's time for the first dance," Clarisse said and stood to her feet as her sister looked back at her, "but excuse me for now, duty call's."

"Alright," Elaina nodded as Clarisse and Rupert walked off together and watched as Rupert put his hand on her back as he leant closer to whisper in her ear.

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